Reversible tobacco truck



3,1935. 1... R. UPCHURCH 2,011,507

REVERSIBLE TOBACCO TRUCK Filed Oct. 13, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l w y Y 1 7 Aug, 13, 1935. 1.. R. UPCHURCH REVERSIBLE TOBACCO TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 13, 1934 Patented Aug. 13, 1935 I UNITED STATES PATENT" oFF cE f The present invention relates to trucks particularly adapted for use in the harvesting of tobacco and the present application is a continuation in part, of my abandonedapplication filed February 1 9,1931, Serial 'No. 514,849. The trucks comf monly in use by tobacco farmers are mounted upon arched runners in orderthat the same may be drawn overthe uneven ground that usually exists between the adjacent rows of standing tobacco plants. The plants gathered arepiled upon the trucks and these trucks with the tobacco placed thereupon, are. dragged by suitable draft animals from-the fieldto the curing barns. Before acom plete load of tobacco has been gathered, it is usually necessary to drag the trucks between several rows of plants and owing to the limited amount of space. that usually exists between and at the ends of they rows of plants, it is impractical to turn the truck without causing injury to some of "the standing'plants, and/therefore, it is the principal object of the present invention to proform is fulcrumed upon its supporting wheels, so

"of slidable ground wheels, which latter permit of the pulling of the truck in opposite directions and, at the same time, permit the truck to, be turned in a smaller space than that required by trucks equipped'with ordinary runnersor'wheels, the

' axles of Which/being retained in fixed relatio with respect to the truck. v Y Y Y :,:Other objects of the-invention will be in part obvious and in-part pointed out hereinafter. y

In order;that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by persons In these drawings: I p

. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete tobacco truck; v

, Figure 2 is another side elevation ofjthe truck with the tobaccosuppo'rting frame removed, il-

lustrating the trucks position'when the pull is J releasedandits runners performing the braking operation by-their engagementwith the ground;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view; Figure '4 is a transverse section taken ;on the I points; i

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 1 but showing each runner ofthe truck having a single track for the-ground wheels thereof;

1 Figure '6 is a bottom plan view of the same; and Figure 7 is a transverse section-taken on the lineT- -I of Figure -6 in the direction of the arrow points. i

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings wherein like corresponding parts are-designated by similar reference ch a'r acters throughout'the severalviews, my improved reversible tobacco truck consists of a'load receiving platform which is mounted upon a suitable arched frame comprising'side members 1 connected at their upper ends by means of the cross bars 2, which latter are arranged at suitable intervals through the entire length of the sidememv bers. Side plates 3 extend along the outer face of each side member I and have their opposite ends connected thereto, forming achannel-way 4 in which the ground wheels 5 may travel. "The! sidemembersl,v cross bars 2 and the side plates 3 are preferably made of metal and the top which provides the load receiving platform of the truck is preferably made of boards consisting of hard Wood and herein indicated by the numeral 6. Bracketsl are secured to the outer face adjacent the opposite end of each side member] and have sockets therein for receiving the'stanchions 8. Extending through the eyelets formed with the upper end of these stanchions 8 is a cablefor other suitable flexible memberindicated by the numeral 9 from'which is suspended an apron 10. This apron is to extend about the various sides of the platform in order to protect the harvested tobacco from dropping from the truck after it has been placed upon the platform thereof within this: apron;

' Each ground wheel 5 is provided :with a pair of stub a des H and thelatterare-capable of longitudinal movement within the elongated slots l2 provided in the lower edge of the side memhers I and the side plates 3 and these stub axles 1 line 4-4 of Figure, 2 the-direction of the arrowll form a fulcrumed support for the platform of the truck as the same is being propelled over the ground.

' These elongated bearing slots l2 are formed by providing recesses in the lower edges of each of the side members I and the side plates 3. Seated within each recess is a removable plate I6 providing the upper track for the axles or trunnions ll of the ground wheels 5; another removable plate vil-provides the lower trackand these plates are secured to the side members and 3 by means of the bolts or othersuitable fastening elements, herein indicated by the numeral i8. By so detachably connecting -the tracks it and ii to the side members I and 3,

it is obvious that they may be readily removed mitting the same to readily pass "over uneven ground, which is generally encountered in a field containing rows of tobacco plants. v Theiforward end of each side member l is taperedas is better illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, and the lower edges of these forward tapered portions of the side members I have secured thereto, detachable steel runners I3 which latter are adapted to rest upon the ground when the pull to the truck has been released in order that a braking actioniwillbe set up to re- 7 tard the movement of the truck while travelling .downhill or completely brake or stopthe truck when the draft pull hasbeen released when travelling over level ground; v f v Secured to the upper face of the load receiving platform of the truck and adjacent the op posite ends thereof are metal strips 'II which notonly provide reinforcements for the] opposite endsfof the platform, but eachhasan opening therein for receiving a clevis l5 whereby means are provided to which-a whifiletreeor other suitable draft animalattachment may be connected to the tru'ckwhen propelling thesame over the In the harvesting of tobacco} the plants are piled upon the truck and maintained thereon by .means of the-apron J0 suspended from the cable 9 carried by the stanchions 8". In order that the truck may pass between therows of plantsiit is necessary .ithat the load receiving platform thereof be relatively narrow and before a com; plete load of tobacco is stored upon the truck it oftentimes becomes necessary to draw or drag the, truck back and forth, between the various rows or stalks oftobacco. In order that my' 'im proved'truck maybe drawn b ackand man bethereby greatly reducing the load uponthe; draft animal. r ,.When the pull-of the draft animal to the truck is applied to that end thereof as is shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the axles. will travel within the slots towards. the left side of the center of the truck until the ground wheels 5 assume the position as herein shown, but should the draft pull be released, the truck will'drop by gravity, to the position asis shown in Figure 2, whereupon the runners l3 will slide upon the ground and give a braking action to the, travelling movement of the truck. By independently for the load-receiving platform is not only.

changed according to the direction oftravel of vthe truck, but permits the truck to be more easily turned in a smaller space than that required :ofa truck which is mounted upon stationary runners, fixed ground wheels, or both.

In the slightly modified form of the invention as is illustrated in Figures 5 to 7, inclusive, of the drawings, I have disclosed a reversible truck similar to that of the preferred form but have eliminated the side plates 3 and each of the arched runners being provided with a single elongated bearing; J ournalled within each hearing is an axle l9 and keyed to the'outer ends of each axle are ground wheels 20. By this arrangement, each runner is provided with a pair of W ground wheels which not only simplifythe con-i struction of the truck but permit a greater bearingsurface with the ground over which the wheels travel. This is most desirableas the trucks are .used on soft or cultivated ground-and by increasing the bearing surface of, thewheels apclaims, I consider within the spirit of my inven tion.

Iclaim:' 1. Areversibletobacco truck comprising a load receiving platform having means at both ends thereof for pulling the same in opposite direc- V tions, 9. pair of arched'runners depending from the platform and extending the full' length thereof, an elongated bearing formed in the lower face at the'medial portion of each runner, said bearings each consisting of a stationary plate :and a removable plate connected thereto, shafts journalled within said plates, ground wheels keyed to said shafts and said shafts with the ground wheels ke'yedtliereto being freely movable from one end to the other extremity of said bearings, whereby with exertion of'pull at one end of said truck body said ground wheels will position them-. selves 'at the extremity of the bearingsopposed'to that offthe 'directi'on of 'pull' and the end portions of said runners oppositeto the position of the ground wheels being adapted to engage the surface over which the truck is'moved when the pull exerted on the latter is released.

2. A reversible tobacco truck comprising a pair of side members, a side plate connected 'toeach side member forming a pocket therebetween, said side members'and side plates having elongated bearing slots therein, ground wheels arranged within said. pocket, stub axles carried by said ground wheels and mounted within said elon- 1 gated bearing slots, a platform mounted upon said side members and side plates, detachable runners secured to the Opposite ends of said side members, and means whereby a draftappliance the truck is moving when the pull exerted on the I i may be connected to either end of said platform substantially as and for the purpose specified. 3. A truck of the character described comprising a load receiving platform having means at both ends thereof for pulling the same from either of its ends; side members depending from the platform and extending the full length thereof;

side plates connected to said side members to a project laterally therefrom and in parallel relation therewith; elongated bearings arranged in opposed relation upon the intermediate portions of the side members and the side plates, and extending fora distance from the center point of said. side members and plates towards each end thereof, ground wheelsjournalled in said bearings and freely movable therein from one to the other extremity of the same, whereby with exertion of a pull at one end of said truck body, to cause the wheels to position themselves at that extremity of the bearings opposed to that of the direction of pull; and, means disposed at the opposite end portions of the side members, that means positioned oppositely to the position of the wheels adapted to engage the surface over which latter is released.

4. A reversible tobacco, truck comprising a load receiving platform having means at both ends thereof for pulling the'same in opposite directions; a pair of arched runners depending from the platform andextending the full length thereof, an elongated bearing formed in the face and extending at equal distance to each side of the center of each runner, a shaft journalled'within' body said ground wheels will position themselves at that extremity of the bearings opposed to that of the direction of pull, and the end portions of said runners opposite to the position of the ground wheels being adapted to engage the surface over which the truck is moved when the pull exerted on the latter is released.

' LEA ROY UPCHURCH. 

